Foldable rack



Sept. 3, 1940. o o. KOLSTAD FOLDABLE RACK Filed Feb. 6, 1959 llllh.

IIllll (0/0 adi BY 5% I" ATTORNEY Cir Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNITED STATE zany PTE

, o r'rice 2 Claims.

This invention relates to portable drying racks and has special reference to one that is foldable with the object of occupying as little space as possible when not in use.

The utility of such a device is well known, and in fact many efforts have been made to produce a practical drying rack for convenience in carrying, for example, within a grip or satchel when one is traveling from place to place, especially by women for the drying of smaller garments such as hosiery, handkerchiefs, or the like, and essential in maintaining sanitary conditions.

The principal object of the present invention is that of providing an exceptionally practical portable rack of this type and one convenient of transportation, and application to various other objects for support of same.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a somewhat foreshortened broken side elevation of one embodiment of the invention, parts thereof being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1, partly broken away.

Figure 3 is a somewhat enlarged elevation of the inner end of one of the object supporting arms.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one type of practical suspending tack or sprig.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of another type of suspending means.

I represents the body portion of the invention which contemplates the employment of a metal or other light tube of either round or other desired cross section such as hexagonal or the like, the same being provided with a substantially closed upper end or top 2. This tube is preferably of substantially equal length to that of the object supporting rods indicated at 3, so that when these rods are folded upwardly and inwardly so as to be telescopically held within the body portion, they will not extend materially beyond same, either above or below. However it is found desirable that they do extend somewhat above the top, and to accomplish which purpose the outermost end of each rod is twisted as at l forming a very convenient arcuately shaped thumb clip 5 which provides very convenient means in grasping between the thumb and finger of the hand for withdrawal to operative position as is obvious,

(Cl. 2ll--172) Now the upper end of the body portion is provided with any desired number of radially disposed slots the full width of and possibly slightly more than that of the thickness of the arms as well as the depth of same so that they may be readily adjusted longitudinally within the body portion, either for housing or withdrawal, and the innermost end of each arm is crimped upon one edge as at it and flanged over at right angles to the remainder of the body portion as at l forming a stop as well as catch for the arm when it is drawn substantially its fulllength from the tubular body portion and dropped over at. right angles as in Figure 1 into the active position when the stop i will abut the under side of the top 2 of the body portion as clearly illustrated. It will be noted that this form of arm is doubly novel in its functioning, and at least exceedingly simple and. inexpensive in its construction.

As a convenient means for support of this form of instrumentality I have shown the body portion l as being provided with the elongated rectangularly shaped opening 8 therein within the upper extremity of which is pivotally supported the relatively short channel shaped bracket arm 9, such pivotal connection being illustrated at ill. This arm is adjustable outwardly into the position illustrated in Figure l of the drawing, or closed inwardly within the opening 8 so that the exterior thereof is substantially flush with the outer surface. of the body portion, as desired. When in its open position the pivotal connection ill is so arranged that the back of the arm will engage the upper terminus of the slot 8 when the arm is at substantially right angles to the body portion, thus forming a stop for the arm.

Within the free end of the arm 9 and adjacent the end thereof is pivotally mounted a spring wire catch I I, it being shown preferably in the form of an arcuately shaped loop, the opposite ends of. which are spirally turned about the pivot pin l2 as at it, and which pivot pin is fixed within the opposite walls of the arm 9. It will be noted that the ends of the wire loop I l extend beyond their spirally bent portions and lie normally against the under face of the arm 9 so as to bias the catch against further openposition than that substantially shown, or at approximately right angles to the arm 9. This arm and catch thus forms a convenient bracket like support for the device, particularly adapted for engagement upon or over a radiator, window sill, or the like, where it is frequently found desirable to employ such in the drying of comparatively small garments, etc., as before stated. It will be noted that the like the blade ofa jackknifel into the arm 9 wheri-thejlatt'er'iis closed Within the body portion of th k i I shown -ir;1 the iormbf a pair of slots in one side of: the bo'dy portion sat Hiand '15, for cooperation jwitfwhich-Ia have illustrated a slightly modified form of suspending peg or tack as,at l6. This peg: is, provided with a smooth .conically f flO ing theimpregnability of the tack .or peg into an'; object .fl [Ih at is'to say, thesepegsj are of com- ,parativelyj miniature size, at least so as not to a {damage fthe tri'mmingsin a' room it: driven into conical shape, oflthe bodylpo'rtion, and yet this conical shape is readily receivablewithin-the. en-, I end ii of for example the slot ;g in.thevb dy-of the rack. The cone shape of the w ed-l w v head bflthe tack tends tohold 'thezbodyportion y tightly against the objectiin which thewtack is placed; and the s'ame, of course'; may apply to the ower-vsloti i5}; though: itf may? riot need the-lowerniost: enlarged portion. Obvious1y,ia screw eye: as indicated at I 8 may: .fur'i'ction "admirab-ly well in 'efi=.instance;.

. I k serrated thelobject suppo'rting a mst3 as'. extending'lonly irom one side'z'oi :the

v .wire catch ll maybe conveniently closedinward- A furtherprovisi'omfor suspending the rack is s apedheadj portion for the object of, determin-.

same, 'asthe length of the-sprig-is limited bythe body portion l, posite side thereof, it is quite apparent that th arms may extend Wholly about thebody portion, thus increasing materially their number, and utilized for drying purposes, one or more asdesired.

and the bracket 9 from the op- Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

L In a portable foldable drying rack, a principal hollow bodyportion closedat one end and having a pluralitylof radiallyrdisposed slots opening through the closed end and extending into the side of said body, a plurality of suspending armsnormally depending throughsaid slots from the closed end of and Within said body portion,

said arms being of flat metal and selectively extendible radially irom the top of said body portion and flanged at their inner ends to provide a fiat surface for contact with the under side of saidclosed end when the arms are extended, and

means for supporting said rack'in upright position. 7 2; A portable foldable drying rack substantially as set forth in claim 1, said arms being twisted at their outer ends to form convenient manipulating-means and to prevent their falling entirely through-said slots into thebody portion When in folded position.-

OLE OJKOLSTAD. 

